Keeping Score

The most common questions from regional reporters around the country when we release the S&P/Case-Shiller indices is “How are we doing?”  or “Is our city ahead of the others?” or “we aren’t at the bottom of the heap, are we?”  So, for those who want the comparisons, the two tables below show the highs and lows for the 20 cities and how they might be ranked based on highs, lows, the biggest drop and the best rebound.

Highs, Lows and Rebounds

Home price changes aren’t really a city to city contest as much as a look at how local economic conditions and regional growth in employment varies across the country.   The data show that the housing market is largely a local market that reflects the local economic fortunes are different cities.  Even though mortgage rates are largely determined by national economic and financial conditions, the driving factor in home prices remains tied to location.

Ranking the Cities